


The Other Warden

by Jarino



Series: Rima Lavellan, Herald of Andraste [23]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Angst and Humor, F/M, Family Angst, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-15
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-05-01 19:53:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5218730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarino/pseuds/Jarino
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the Hero of Ferelden is unable to help the Inquisition in defeating Corypheus, they turn to another veteran of the Fifth Blight.<br/>(Aka Alistair uses Inquisition business as an excuse to see Kieran.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Other Warden

**Author's Note:**

> Even though this work is told from Rima's perspective, since it focuses heavily on Alistair and Manon, I added it to Manon's series as well.

_“Morrigan, If I could have a moment of your time?”_

_“Ah, Inquisitor. What might I do for you?”_

_“I tried following up on your advice…and while Leliana was miraculously able to track her down, it seems Manon knows little in regards to Corypheus, and is otherwise occupied on a quest of her own.”_

_“’Tis fortunate that you were able to relay a message to her, even though it may not have resulted in the outcome you desired…I must admit that I suggested contacting her on the basis that she was our leader during the events of the Fifth Blight, but if it has come to this, perhaps contacting another Grey Warden would benefit the Inquisition? She was not the only one who carried the title of ‘Warden’ amongst our band of misfits, after all.”_

As per Morrigan’s advice, Rima had prompted Josephine to send an invitation to King Alistair requesting his presence at Skyhold. She tried to emphasize that it would be strictly related to his prior life as a Warden and not involve any of the fuss that her typical dignitary meetings consisted of, but even so, she remained incredibly anxious as to his reply.

By some miracle or other, he had not only responded in a timely manner, but he had agreed to her request, and would be arriving at Skyhold within the fortnight. His day of arrival was rapidly approaching, and as such, so was Rima’s anticipation. She’d heard the tales of the King’s kindness and good humor, but even so, she couldn’t help but worry over how the meeting would go over.

While she was fairly good at keeping a calm façade, she had a tendency to get worked up whenever she was scheduled to meet with a significantly important noble. Typically, she was concerned with giving a good impression of the Inquisition, but in this particular case, she was much more nervous as to how the King would perceive her as an individual.

In all the tales she’d heard of the Hero of Ferelden, Alistair had always managed to pop up at some point or another; usually in reference to his romantic involvement with Manon. Meeting Morrigan had certainly been exciting, but she was somewhat tight-lipped when it came to matters concerning the Blight, and as such, Rima had not been able to coerce the information she’d desired out of her. Meeting the King, well…that would be like meeting one of her childhood heroes. Even if she didn’t get any of the answers she was dying to hear, just being in the same room as him would be the chance of a lifetime.

When the horn signaling his arrival had finally blown, everyone scrambled to their positions to greet His Majesty. With all the excitement and tension, it had been quite the surprise to find that not only did he arrive with a small number of guards, but he entered the great hall with a bright grin upon his face. Rima and her advisors stood at the dais near the throne, with Leliana and Josephine much more relaxed than she or Cullen was.  

As the King made his way down the chamber, he craned his neck to look about at the various stained glass windows and murals that adorned the walls. The eager and curious expression on his face did not dissipate by the time he’d reached the Inquisition’s leaders, but even so, Rima could still feel her throat dry with nervousness.

Josephine wasted no time beginning introductions. She began first by welcoming him in the most extravagant way Rima thought possible before she moved on to introducing each of her advisors and the roles they played. Finally, she arrived at Rima, and the elf stiffened.

“And of course we cannot forget our famed Inquisitor, Lady Rima Lavellan.”

Greeting her with a bright smile, the King gave a low bow before speaking warmly, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Inquisitor.” When he rose, he flashed a mischievous grin at her, which caused her Inquisitor mask to falter more than a little.

“Ah…the pleasure is all mine,” she managed to say in a somewhat level voice.

He turned for a moment to admire the architecture of the keep once more. “I know this must be terribly rude of me, but I was wondering if perhaps we could postpone the discussion until later? I must admit I’m rather curious about this castle of your and would love to explore it a bit if you would permit me.”

“Oh, would you be interested in a tour?” Josephine offered, but Alistair quickly declined.

“No, that’s quite all right. You don’t have to go to the trouble. I just thought I might do a bit of poking around…unless that’s your subtle way of telling me not to snoop,” he added with a laugh.

Josephine replied with her own musical laughter. “Not at all. Please, feel free to explore the keep. We can regroup for the meeting prior to supper this evening.”

“Right! Sounds like a plan, then!” he chimed before heading off with what could have been a spring in his step.

Rima must not have been able to wipe the look of surprise from her face, for Josephine let out an amused chuckle as she gazed in her direction. “Quite the monarch, is he not?”

Shaking away the initial shock, she turned to face the ambassador. “You’ve met him before, then?”

“Only a few times in person, but even then, I must say that I never manage to tire of his eccentric personality,” she giggled in response.

An audible sigh escaped Cullen’s throat and his shoulders slumped. “If the meeting has been postponed, I think I’ll return to my office for a bit. I have quite a bit of work I need to catch up on…” He bid them a nod of farewell, his gaze lingering on Rima a moment longer than the others before he departed.

\-----

With the King otherwise occupied and Cullen returning to his duties, Rima elected to spend her newfound free time catching up with her companions. She’d already spent an hour criticizing books with Dorian and shared a short conversation with Solas in regards to her studies as a Rift Mage. After chatting with Varric for a while about his notorious publisher, she decided she’d head to the garden to check up on her herbs and give a quick hello to Morrigan.

As she approached the pots near the rear walkway, though, something else caught her eye. Morrigan was standing in her typical spot near the gazebo, with Kieran not too far away, his nose in a book, but for once they were not alone. Rima could never have guessed that it would be Alistair of all people who would be chatting with the mage, but there he was.

She ducked behind a nearby pillar, peeking around the corner to try and get a better read of the situation. She knew she shouldn’t be eavesdropping…this was private, after all. But her curiosity got the better of her.

Being too far away to hear their conversation, she instead focused more on reading their body language. The King, surprisingly, seemed much more somber and serious than his previous entrance had shown him to be. Morrigan, meanwhile, appeared melancholy and wistful, her mind seeming a million miles away. Every so often, they would direct their gaze towards the gazebo, and Rima could have sworn she saw Alistair’s eyes darken. What did Kieran have to do with their discussion?

After a while, Alistair managed to surprise Rima further by making his way over to the gazebo. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before bending down to greet the boy. Kieran glanced up curiously, and seemed to be addressing the King politely, though there was an element of intrigue in his eyes. They talked for a bit before Alistair ultimately rose to his feet, giving the boy a smile as he bid his farewells. He stopped briefly as he exited the gazebo, meeting Morrigan’s gaze for a long moment before addressing her with a nod and continuing on his way.

Having been so wrapped up in the exchange, Rima didn’t realize Alistair was coming her way until it was too late. Her heart jumping into her throat, she jumped back behind the pillar she hid behind and held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t notice her.

He did, of course. He paused for a moment, slightly surprised to find her here, but quickly masked his shock with a warm smile. “Inquisitor! I didn’t realize you were out here as well.”

She coughed slightly and gave him a sheepish smile. “Yes, well, um…I was just tending to my herb garden for a bit. I hope my presence doesn’t deter you?”

“Not at all!” he said with a hearty chuckle. “This is quite the garden you have here…I daresay it’s nearly as nice as the one I’ve got back in Denerim.” He made sure to throw her a cheeky grin for good measure.

She couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Oh, I’m certain your garden is much more impressive than what we have here. It’s a little difficult trying to grow certain types of plants, what with being so high in the mountains…” She paused for a bit, unsure if she should voice her curiosities or not, but ultimately, she gave in to her whims. “Forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty, but…I was not aware you and Morrigan were friends?”

He smiled at her question, but the small twitch of his eyes did not escape her notice. He spared a small glance in the direction of the gazebo before speaking. “I would hardly call us friends, per se…but given the time we spent together during the Blight, it would be somewhat cruel to refer to her as a mere acquaintance. Though I am certain she would argue otherwise,” he added with a grin.

“Is…is that what you were talking about, then?” Rima asked tentatively. “The events of the Blight?”

His gaze became distant then, his voice faltering somewhat as he answered, “Yes…I suppose we were.”

Rima immediately regretted her incessant curiosity. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I did not mean to pry.”

He shook his head slightly. “No, it’s all right. I suppose it would seem strange as to why I would seek her out of all people…We’re about as polar opposite as you can get.” He gave a solemn chuckle, his smile barely present. “If it hadn’t been for Manon, I fear we would have torn each other’s throats out on day one.”

The sadness in the King’s eyes was becoming ever more present, and for the first time since he’d arrived, Rima noticed just how… _tired_  the man seemed. It was as if all the troubles he had endured were written plain as day upon his face.

Her brows furrowing slightly, Rima thought for a moment, attempting to choose her words carefully. “We…we managed to send a message to her, you know,” she said softly.

His eyes brightened at that, but he tried not to make his excitement too obvious. “You did?”

She nodded. “We wanted to see if she had any information that could help us against Corypheus. She didn’t…and in any case, she seems to be more occupied on a quest of her own.”

“Curing the taint…” Alistair muttered, more to himself than to Rima.

“But…the important thing is that she’s safe. Apparently she’s travelled West beyond the borders of Orlais…And from her report, it seems she’s found a lead,” she offered. He looked back at her with hopeful eyes. “She requested we send her any information we learn about Corypheus in case it helps with her research, so even if she cannot help us, we may be able to help her...”

He let out a shaky breath, firmly pressing his lips together before he attempted to speak. “Thank you, Inquisitor.”

“She…she also was rather insistent that we ensure your safety, Your Majesty,” she added with a gentile smile. “There were no blatant threats, but I’ve been through enough political encounters to know a disguised warning when I see one.” She laughed at the premise and Alistair quickly joined in, the subtle wrinkles in his face making themselves known.

Eventually, their laughter died out and they grew silent once more.

Surprisingly, it was Alistair who ultimately broke the silence. “It’s been a little over a year now…” he said softly.

“I’m sorry. I know you must miss her terribly,” Rima said softly, her voice heavy with sympathy.

“More than you can imagine…” He wasn’t quite able to keep his voice from cracking as he responded. “But…I’m certain she’ll find a cure. This will all be worth it in the end.”

“I’m sure she will,” she said with an encouraging nod. “After defeating an Archdemon, ridding yourselves of the taint should be the easy part, right?”

He laughed in response, the sadness in his face slowly fading away. Slowly, he turned back to face her and paused for a moment, as though he were thinking something over. “You should come to the palace, once this is all over. I know Manon would love to meet you.”

“You…you think so? I-I couldn’t possibly…” she muttered with uncertainty.

“Nonsense! You’ll be our guest of honor! We’ll hold a banquet with the finest cheeses in the land and there will be music and all sorts of nonsensical banter!” He made an elaborate hand gesture, seemingly envisioning the party as he spoke. “Plus…Manon would be thrilled to have the chance to get to know you. I’m certain she’ll be flattered once she hears how big of a fan you are.”

Rima’s face immediately heated up at his comment and she tried to backtrack from her embarrassment. “Wh-what? Who told you that?” she stuttered nervously.

He let out a hearty laugh, throwing his head back with enthusiasm. “Oh, don’t worry. Let’s just say a little birdie told me,” he said as he gave her a pat on the back before he began walking away.

As the King made his departure, Rima spared a glance back at the gazebo, and though it disappeared as soon as she had noticed it, she could have sworn she saw a smirk make its way onto Morrigan’s face.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you weren't aware, Manon never recruited Leliana during her journey (because I'm a moron), so that's why Alistair doesn't know who she is.


End file.
